by Lee Piper
He let out a muttered oath under his breath. “Do you have any other family?”
“Riley’s my family.”
“No, I meant do you have any brothers or sisters?”
My voice hardened. “I’ve got a sister.” And it was either the way I bit out those four innocent words, or the way I was transforming Professor Sexual Predator into tiny pieces of confetti that made Levi stop his line of questioning.
Thank fuck.
I hadn’t spoken that much about myself to anyone in a long time and was more than willing to forego the experience for as long as possible in future.
“We’ve done a pretty decent job of it, don’t you think?” Levi asked. He was clearly feeling pretty damn proud of what we’d just accomplished.
I sat back and surveyed the scene. It was as though I were suddenly seeing my half of the office for the first time. The floor space was mostly clear, except for the tottering tower of English-related stuff. We were able to fit another chair in there and I decided to sort out the remainder of the pile another time. My eyes drifted to the bin, it was overflowing.
I gazed across at Levi who was still crouched down next to me. Turned out, he was seriously lacking in egotistical narcissism.
Damn it.
This made my burgeoning feelings for the guy even more unwelcome. But I decided to allow myself this one small moment to take something back for myself, especially now he knew me almost as well as Riley did. So I harmlessly, yet ravenously, consumed each delectable feature on his handsome face. Like a starved animal. My gaze traveled from his chiseled jaw, to his full lips, to his nose. When I finally reached them, those piercing blue eyes of his looked at me as though I was truly worthy. Worthy of more than I ever deserved.
Wow.
It was a revelation, despite being a sobering one. “Not bad at all,” I murmured, a small smile played on my lips.
A slow grin spread across his face. “Damn right.”
Grace, that’s enough.
I broke eye contact, stood and stretched out the kinks in my legs. Levi followed suit. However, while attempting to slip my heels back on, I completely lost my balance and would have fallen straight onto my ass if it hadn’t been for him. He grabbed me by the waist, holding me firm. My hands instinctively clasped his arms for support and the feel of his strong biceps beneath my grappling fingers almost made me want to cry afresh. Life well and truly sucked when the one muscular thing you wanted, was the one muscular thing you couldn’t have.
“Thanks,” I muttered, self-consciously glancing up at Levi before letting go of him. Somehow, I managed to put my pumps back on without further incident—miracle amongst miracles. Once finished, Levi unclasped his hands from my waist and smiled wryly down at me. He hadn’t said a word, and for once I wished for a joking comment. Hell, I didn’t even care if it was at my expense. I just wanted to break the sultry mood.
When I’d managed to scrape together the remains of my diminishing self-command, I looked up at him again. “Let’s go, you look hungry.”
“I sure am.”
“I meant for food.”
“That too.”
I narrowed my eyes and Levi chuckled. So I huffed, turned on my heels and stalked my way towards the cafeteria.
The cafeteria sat snuggly in between the technology building and the library. At the far end were panoramic windows looking out onto the staff car park which was bordered by tall gum trees. This was probably so the teachers could make sure their vehicles weren’t being broken into during the students’ free time. But the other three remaining walls of the cafeteria were enclosed and littered with posters about upcoming events, food hygiene and advertisements for local sporting teams. As we walked through the swinging doors of the room, I threw over my shoulder, “It’s best to get here early. That way you’re not stuck with the leftovers.”
Levi was directly behind me, probably to ensure I didn’t make a spectacular entrance by falling flat on my face or something. I tried to stop the tingles from breaking out all over my skin at the thought of how amazing his hands felt wrapped around my waist, but failed dismally. Distraction was definitely going to be the order of the day.
“Trust me, Levi,” I continued, “even leftover Bean Surprise isn’t something I’d wish upon my worst enemy.” I stopped short, tilted my head to one side and thought for a second. “No wait. I’d definitely give it to Serena.”
Levi stood, facing me, his expression serious. “Yeah, I noticed a bit of tension there this morning. What’s that all about?”
“Should I answer that alphabetically or chronologically?”
He shrugged his shoulders.
“She’s a bitch, Levi.”
“Seemed nice enough to me.”
I was suddenly furious. “Well, you don’t know shit.”
Who the hell does he think he is? Just because I didn’t share every damn scrap of information about my entire existence, didn’t mean my arguments weren’t justified. Much.
Stomping towards the long row of heated cafeteria food on the left-hand side of the room, I ignored the grease-congealed unmentionables in varying stages of decomposition at the beginning and headed straight for the suspicious-looking sandwiches at the end. One could only pray they were made sometime in the last fortnight but I wasn’t going to hold my breath for that miracle.
Levi caught up with me as I wrestled a tray from the top of its stack with much more vehemence than necessary. Hell, I would have brought the entire pile down on myself if he hadn’t steadied it with his hand. He stared down at my livid expression, no doubt a very becoming, blotchy red color.
“What the fuck was that all about?”
I didn’t answer and instead thumped a rock hard sandwich down onto my tray.
“Grace?”
I stopped, but refused to meet his eyes. “Just leave it, okay?”
There wasn’t enough alcohol in the entire world for that conversation. So I paid for whatever the sandwich was pretending to be before moving to one of the empty tables designated for teachers. It was situated in the far corner of the empty room and was entirely concealed by a colossal cement pillar with a vast array of penises sporadically etched all over it. Our students’ artistic talents never ceased to amaze me.
I plonked down on the hard plastic chair like a truant teenager who was about to get ripped into by a teacher. Sulkily, I looked to Ellen—the lunch lady—for moral support, only she’d already left.
Shit.
Levi sat down opposite, regarding me thoughtfully. He held an equally dubious-looking sandwich, only didn’t seem to question its origin or use by date because he bit into it. With relish.
“You know,” he began, after swallowing a mouthful. “I couldn’t help but notice that Serena—”
“Finish that sentence and it’ll be the last one you ever say, Levi.”
He nodded his head as realization slowly dawned. “I knew it.”
I shoved a large mouthful of the rock-like substance into my mouth in a desperate bid to quell my rising panic. Damn it, why can’t he be stupid? A less perceptive person wouldn’t have seen what I’d been trying so hard to conceal for the last few months.
I swallowed, though with effort.
“Hey, gorgeous girl. Here you are, hiding away. I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”
I cringed at the shrill voice and forced familiarity from one of my least favorite people. Sophie stood before us. Her fake smile, tan and hair color perfectly matched her obscenely perky breasts. To be honest, I was surprised it took her this long to scope out the fresh meat on campus. Usually, her conquests weren’t of much interest to me. Well, except when they screwed with our English department. Literally. But there was something in the way she was undressing Levi with her eyes that really aggravated the heck out of me.
“Sophie, to what do I owe this pleasure?” I gave her a false smile. “Have you come to tell me that my Year Twelves are actually going to get their own copy of A Doll’s House? Because, it’s been super
fun having them share one text between three students and all.” My barely masked sarcasm forced her eyes away from Levi.
“Oh, well no. That’s not why I’m here. You see, as English coordinator—” I didn’t even pretend not to roll my eyes. At every opportunity she would name drop her job description and it was beyond fucking annoying. “I just wanted to introduce myself to your new student teacher here.” And with that she turned her back on me, completely ostracizing any future input I might have made to the conversation.
Sophie thrust out her perfectly manicured hand, complete with claw-shaped talons, at Levi. “Hi,” she breathed, “I’m Sophie DiAngelo.” She plastered on her most pant-destroying smile and I slammed the sandwich I’d been holding onto my tray in disgust.
I’d suddenly lost my appetite.
Levi’s eyes flicked to my thunderous expression, amused, and then moved back to Sophie.
“I’m Levi, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He took her outstretched hand and shook it while I stared at their entwined fingers, pleading with my lunch to remain in my stomach.
Sophie simpered, leaned forward and thrust her ample breasts in Levi’s face. His eyes automatically took them in. I would like to say it was because they were virtually pressed into his eye cavities, but honestly couldn’t be sure. All I could be certain of, however, was my rising blind fury.
“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Levi.” Finally, Sophie retrieved her hand. “Now if you need anything at all…” She smiled at him, while slowly tracing her fingers from the top of her V-neck down to her bounteous cleavage. “My office is just next to the administration building. You’re welcome to drop by at any time.”
Levi smiled. “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.”
I gaped at him.
What the fuck?
She was mutton dressed as lamb for God’s sake. No man in their right mind went close to the woman unless they wanted a comprehensive lesson on syphilis.
“You do that,” Sophie murmured, while I struggled to pick my bottom jaw up off the food-splattered floor. And reign in my barely contained wrath.
“I’ll see you later.” With that sleazy farewell, she gave Levi what must have been her most winning smile before sauntering out of the room, her tight black dress leaving little to the imagination.
I willed him dead with my eyes, extremely glad that we were the only two occupants left in the place. At least no one could pin his murder on me.
Levi met my lethal expression. “What?”
“Don’t you fucking what me, Levi. I can’t believe you fell for that shit, she’s Spread-Her-Legs Sophie for Christ’s sake.”
He rolled his eyes. “What’s the real problem here, kitten? The fact that she’s putting it all out there or the fact that you won’t? Because from where I’m sitting, you’ve got nothing to be pissed about. After all, you’re not interested in me, remember?”
“I know that.”
He grinned.
“Fuck off.”
Levi laughed and I couldn’t help it, I threw the discarded remains of my lunch in his face.
“You did not just do that.”
I laughed long and loud at his shocked expression. I laughed until my sides ached, tears streamed down my face and I felt at least a ton lighter. As he peeled the remains of butter-slicked lettuce off his cheek and I eventually calmed down enough to breathe, it suddenly dawned on me that I hadn’t felt this emotionally liberated in a long, long time.
It felt incredible.
“Sorry.” I suppressed a giggle. Since when did I giggle? “But you deserved it.”
“No you’re not. And no, I didn’t,” he replied in mock anger. Though the corners of his mouth were twitching and there was a definite glint in his eyes. “Why do I always end up covered in shit when you’re around?”
I quickly retrieved some napkins from a nearby dispenser and stood in front of him. Levi swiveled around to face me, still covered in my lunch.
“Don’t worry,” I purred sweetly, dabbing his face with a napkin. “You’re still smokin’ hot even with egg mayonnaise in your eyebrows.”
“So I’m smokin’ hot, am I?”
I shut my mouth with a snap. A tooth may or may not have been chipped in my haste.
“That’s the nicest thing I’ve heard come out of your smart mouth, kitten.”
“Don’t get used to it. It won’t happen again.”
Our eyes stared into the others’ and that warmth he first elicited from me on Friday night slowly uncoiled again. It began in my stomach and spread rapidly throughout my body. Humming. Each of my limbs prickled with that now familiar surging current and I was left feeling completely disorientated. By these feelings. By this man.
By everything.
Levi always made me lose my way, no matter how much I tried not to. Life was simply one cruel joke after another when he was in my orbit.
“What are you doing to me, kitten?” he murmured.
I leaned forward and gently rested my forehead against his, shaking my head slightly. “I could ask you the same thing.”
“Fuck it.”
Oh. My. Freakin’. God.
It was official. My world was never going to be the same again. I mean, when his lips touched mine—gently at first, searching, seeking, tasting—it somehow felt like I’d been there before. Seriously. It felt as though I was re-familiarizing myself with this beautiful sensation I had once cherished but then stupidly disregarded.
I honestly didn’t know what to do with that terrifying realization. However, it was at around the time when his hands slowly, tantalizingly trailed up my outer thighs, pulling up my skirt and any traces of remaining self-control along with it, that I decided not to do anything about it at all.
Except drink the man in of course.
I was going to drown myself in this incredible experience so I would never forget how for one moment in my angry, empty existence, I felt entirely soothed.
My mouth instinctively opened in response to his wandering hands, and his tongue darted inside. It sampled, teased, and challenged my own as he sealed his lips to mine. Never one to shy away from a provocation, I then deepened the kiss. I matched him stroke for stroke, massaging his tongue with my own before surreptitiously running it over his front teeth. My hands, completely discarding the used napkin and finally free to explore, ravaged his hair, tugging and drawing his head back for greater access. A deep groan reverberated in his throat at the pressure I applied to his scalp and my lips quirked up in response. I loved that I could make him feel a hungry, all-consuming need which perfectly matched my own.
It felt incredible.
Levi’s hands then traveled to my ass, rhythmically kneading each cheek through the lace of my panties. They weren’t exactly my favorite pair but would have to do because I sure as hell didn’t envisage this happening when I got dressed in the morning. I moaned into his open mouth, those strong, practiced fingers felt so damn phenomenal that I almost lost all sense of reason. As my legs buckled beneath me, he held me tighter and I could feel him smile against my mouth at the obvious struggle I had to remain standing.
To add fuel to the fire, one of Levi's hands then traveled to the front of my panties and those expert fingers of his started to massage my clit in slow, circular motions. I honestly couldn’t do anything except clutch on to him for dear life. In the name of all things holy, I actually thought I was going to die. Is there such a thing as an acute arousal-induced fatality?
I’d have to check it out.
“Kitten, you’re so damn beautiful,” Levi groaned against my lips. “I’ve been wanting to do this since we first met.”
I nipped his bottom lip in reply. He had to shut the hell up because if he kept talking to me like this, I would start to believe him. And I couldn’t afford to combine the physical pleasure he was eliciting from me with any form of emotional connection.
I simply couldn’t.
Wouldn’t.
So, to distract us both from that
potential landmine, I straddled Levi’s lap. I gently pressed myself down onto the prominent bulge in his suit pants, essentially forcing those mischievous fingers of his out the way. And with any luck, any rational thought still lingering in his head.
Lord Almighty.
If there was ever a man to feel this good between my legs, it was Levi. Of course it was fucking Levi. I knew from the moment I first stared into those laughing blue eyes of his that there was something between us neither one could deny. I knew then that he wasn't only trouble, but would one day be the cause of my complete undoing if I truly let him.
For real this time.
“Grace,” Levi moaned into my open mouth. I gently rotated my hips forward and back, essentially pumping him with the most intimate part of myself, as his hand moved back to cup my ass again. The way he groaned my name, as though I truly meant something to him, was honestly the best freakin’ sound I’d ever heard in my life. So I tenderly wrapped the memory up and tucked it deep inside that hollow shell of mine.
I would need it for later.
In the meantime, this hunger was nowhere near sated. I pressed closer again and picked up the pace. I then slid my arms down to his shoulders and wrapped them around his neck, nails digging into his skin.
Branding him.
And of course Levi responded with a growl. He gnashed his teeth and sunk them into my soft flesh, imprinting himself on my lower lip. Then he grasped my rocking hips and rhythmically moved me at the pace he craved until I could feel bruises forming from the pressure of his fingers.
It was fucking awesome.
If this was what Heaven felt like, then sweet baby Jesus, I was ready. Never in my life had I felt as turned on and desperately needed by another human being as I was at that moment, clutched in Levi’s arms and hidden from view in the empty school cafeteria.
The school cafeteria.
Goddamn it.
Chapter Six
Every morning,
I dream it’s all gonna change.
But every evening,
My heart still beats the same.
-MONDEZ, “Nemesis”
I tore my lips away from Levi’s. We were both panting and I could taste the metallic tang of my blood. It took him a few seconds to regain focus and then a couple more to register the sheer panic stamped across my face.
